Lachenalia jacq. f. ex Murray plant named ‘Cherise’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of Lachenalia plant characterized by a bulb plant type having a spreading growth habit of a height of 15-30 centimetres (cm) and width of 10-15 cm having a cerise pink flower and green leave with maroon spots.

Genus and species: Lachenalia Jacq. f. ex Murray.

Variety denomination: ‘Cherise’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofLachenalia, botanically known as Lachenalia Jacq. f. ex Murray havingthe common name of Viooltjies/Cape cowslip and hereinafter referred toby its variety denomination ‘Cherise’.

The variety was first cultivated in 2008 and originated by means ofconventional breeding by the inventor during 2009 to 2010 at thepremises of Agricultural Research Council Vegetable and Ornamental PlantInstitute, Roodeplaat, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.

Asexual reproduction of the ‘Cherise’ plant at the same location hasshown that the unique features thereof are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety ofLachenalia which originated from the controlled pollination between aLachenalia hybrid as seed bearing parent and a Lachenalia hybrid aspollen parent as detailed hereinbelow.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics, under the local evaluation conditions, ofthe ‘Cherise’ plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish‘Cherise’ as a new and distinct Lachenalia cultivar:

-   -   1. Bulb plant type having a spreading growth habit of a height        of 15-30 centimeters (cm) and width of 10-15 cm.    -   2. Flower color: cerise pink (RHS #52B).    -   3. Leaf color: green (RHS #141C) with maroon (RHS #53A) spots.

Color references are made to The R.H.S. Colour Chart, 1^(st) edition,1966, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are usedor indicated otherwise.

Plants of the new Lachenalia variety ‘Cherise’ can be compared tosimilar denominations such as ‘Robyn’ and ‘Rosabeth’ but differs in thatthe flower color of ‘Cherise’ is cerise pink (RHS #52B) with darker pink(RHS #53C) tips compared to the red and red with green tips of ‘Robyn’and ‘Rosabeth’ respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The first drawing illustrates the overall appearance of the ‘Cherise’,showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain incolored reproductions of this type. The first drawing comprises a frontperspective view of a typical ‘Cherise’ grown in an indoor nursery.

The second drawing illustrates the overall appearance of the ‘Cherise’,showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain incolored reproductions of this type. The second drawing comprises a frontperspective view of a typical ‘Cherise’ which is located in an outdoorsetting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned drawings, following observations and measurementsdescribe ‘Cherise’ grown by the inventor on behalf of AgriculturalResearch Council Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Roodeplaat,Pretoria, Republic of South Africa. Thereafter ‘Cherise’ was madesubject of a South African Plant Breeders' Right application in March2009. This application was granted in 2010 under number ZA20104393.

The plant is a late flowering cultivar and may be used for landscapingand should be planted during the month of March; indoors and in potsonly. The plant should be kept at temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celsiusduring the day and 10-15 degrees Celsius at night. Plenty of lightshould be provided.

‘Cherise’ is a hybrid-hybrid cross containing the following Lachenaliaspecies: Lachenalia orchioides subsp. glaucina, Lachenalia bulbifera,Lachenalia quadricolor, Lachenalia rubida, Lachenalia aloides.

The specific ‘Cherise’ parentage is as follows:

Female parent: (L. bulbifera x [L. aloides x L. rubida]) x ([L.bulbifera x L. rubida] x L. bulbifera).

This is the parenting background for ‘Rupert’. The specific seedlingresulting from the final cross as described here—was registered ascultivar ‘Rupert’ and a vegetatively propagated plant of ‘Rupert’ wasused as female parent for ‘Cherise’.

Male parent: {([L. orchioides x L. bulbifera] x [L. orchioides x L.bulbifera]) x ([L. orichioides x L. rubida] x [L. orichioides x L.rubida])} x {([L. aloides x L. rubida] x [L. aloides x L. rubida]) x([L. orchioides x L. bulbifera] x [L. orchioides x L. bulbifera])}.

This is the parenting background for ‘Eliza’. The specific seedlingresulting from the final cross as described here—was registered ascultivar ‘Eliza’ and a vegetatively propagated plant of ‘Eliza’ was usedas parent for ‘Cherise’.

‘Rupert’ has purple flowers, compared to the cerise pink (RHS #52B) withdarker pink (RHS #53C) tips of ‘Cherise’. The flower orientation of‘Rupert’ is similar to ‘Cherise’ but the flower tips of ‘Rupert’ aremore spreading than those of ‘Cherise’. The inflorescence of ‘Rupert’ ismore compact than that of ‘Cherise’.

‘Eliza’ has orange and red flowers compared to the cerise pink (RHS#52B) flower color of ‘Cherise’. The flower orientation and density of‘Cherise’ is similar to that of ‘Eliza’, but the flower tips are morespreading than that of ‘Eliza’.

A specific seedling with number 2000/120/061 was selected from thiscross and thereafter asexually propagated. The asexual progeny of thisseedling is the cultivar ‘Cherise’.

‘Cherise’ was originally produced sexually from a cross between the twovarieties mentioned above. A specific seedling with number 2000/120/061was selected from this cross and thereafter asexually propagated. Theasexual progeny of this seedling is the cultivar ‘Cherise’ and wasmultiplied via tissue culture at the premises of Agricultural ResearchCouncil Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, Roodeplaat, Pretoria,Republic of South Africa.

The following characteristics of ‘Cherise’ are described with referenceto description of said characteristic which are comparable with thementioned variety/ies having said similar characteristic.

-   Leaf: Monocolored.

Variety having Description of similar Characteristic: ‘Cherise’:characteristics: Attitude Semi-erect ‘Romaud’ Length Medium ‘Bontrok’,‘Winsome’ (20 cm) Width Medium ‘Rosabeth’ (4.5 cm) Ratio length:widthMedium (4.4:1) ‘Romaud’ Shape Lanceolate ‘Rodelein’ Color Green ‘Roinge’(RHS #141C) Leaf color designation for Green (RHS lower sides of theleaf #141C) Shape in cross-section Angular ‘Robyn’, ‘Romelia’ Recurvingof margin Present ‘Romaud’ Undulation of margin Present ‘Elegant’,‘Leipoldt’ Blistering of upper side Absent ‘Rodelein’, ‘Rosabeth’Pubescence of upper side Absent ‘Rodelein’, ‘Rosabeth’ Spots on upperside Present ‘Bontrok’, ‘Roinge’, ‘Rosabeth’ Number of spots per leafAmount differs from plant to plant, no exact number of spots per leafColor of spots on upper Maroon side (RHS #53A) Size of spots on upperside Medium ‘Robyn’, ‘Roinge’ (2-3 millimeter (mm)) Density of spots onupper Medium ‘Roinge’, ‘Rosabeth’ side Intensity of color of spotsMedium ‘Rolina’, ‘Romelia’ on upper side Markings on outer side ofAbsent ‘Rodelein’ leaf base

-   Peduncle:

Variety having Description of similar Characteristic: ‘Cherise’:characteristics: Length Medium ‘Rosabeth’ (20-25 cm) Peduncle colordesignation Purplish (RHS #53B) with green (RHS #141C) Spots or markingsPresent ‘Bontrok’, ‘Rosabeth’ Coloration of peduncle spots Purplish (RHS#53B) Size of spots or markings Medium ‘Robyn’ (1-2 mm) Density of spotsor markings Medium, covers ‘Robyn’ the peduncle: spots may be as closeas 0.2 mm, but may differ

-   Bud:

Characteristic: Description of ‘Cherise’: Color Cerise pink (RHS #52B)

-   Inflorescence:

Description of Variety having similar Characteristic: ‘Cherise’:characteristics: Length Medium (17 cm) ‘Robyn’, ‘Roklara’ Rudimentaryapex Inconspicuous ‘Rosabeth’ Number of flowers Medium ‘Rolina’,‘Romelia’ (30+ flowers)

-   Flower:

Variety having Description of similar Characteristic: ‘Cherise’:characteristics: Description of floral organs Inflorescence containingindividual tubular flowers attached with pedicels to the pedunclePredominant color: Cerise pink (RHS ‘Leipoldt’, #52B) ‘Louis’ Intensityof predominant color: Medium to strong Attitude: Horizontal ‘Robyn’,‘Romargo’ Flower length: Long - 3.2 cm ‘Robyn’, ‘Romelia’ Pedicel:Present ‘Romelia’ Length of pedicel: Medium ‘Bontrok’, (2-3 mm) ‘Louis’Flower diameter at apex: Medium to large: 1.5 cm Flower diameterexcluding Medium - 0.8 cm ‘Romargo’, apex: ‘Romelia’, ‘Rosabeth’ Flowerattitude of distal part of Spreading ‘Rozanne’ inner perianth segments:Flower glossiness: Absent Outer perianth segment: color Red (RHS #47D ofbasal part just before of RHS color opening of flower: chart, 2^(nd)edition, 1986) Outer perianth segment: color Red (RHS #47C of basal partof fully opened of RHS color flower chart, 2^(nd) edition, 1986) Outerperianth segment: color Clearly different ‘Ronette’ of apex relative toother part: Outer perianth segment: color Yellow-brown of apex isclearly different from (RHS #160B) other part Inner perianth segment:Present ‘Ronette’ distinct spot in middle of apex: Inner perianthsegment: color Clearly different ‘Louis’, of margin of apex relative to‘Roinge’ other part: Inner perianth segment: color Purple ‘Louis’, ofdifferently colored margin of (RHS #61B) ‘Leipoldt’ apex: Inner perianthsegment: Red (RHS #47C predominant color of exposed of RHS color part(excluding differently chart, 2^(nd) edition, colored margin of apex)1986) Length of inner perianth Longer ‘Roinge’, segment compared toouter ‘Rosabeth’ segments Extrusion of stamens Absent ‘Roinge’,‘Rosabeth’ Fragrance Absent ‘Romelia’ Predominant shape Oblate ‘Romaud’Time of flowering Late - flowering ‘Bontrok’, time vary from ‘Roinge’,July to August ‘Roklara’ (Southern Hemisphere) Duration of floweringMedium ‘Rodelein’, (±1 to 2 and a ‘Roinge’ half months)

-   Others:

Characteristic: Description of ‘Cherise’: Description of the bulbCream/white (color designation - RHS including size and color of #159C)the bulb at maturity Size: between 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter Time of leafgrowth/bud Starts within the first week of watering burst (normallyMarch/April in Southern Hemisphere) A description of any fruit No seedor fruit and seed set Timing of leaf senescence After flowering hascompleted and starts to die down, the leaves start to die off (wheatcolor) and plant dry out (September - October in Southern Hemisphere)

The variety is not genetically modified and has been tested to be freeof Ornithogalum Mosaic Virus.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Lachenaliaplant named ‘Cherise’ as illustrated and described herein.